Book for our Discovery Morning
Discovery Mornings are a chance to explore the School on a normal working day.
You and your family will tour the School in the company of one of our pupils and will meet the senior team over tea and coffee.
Junior School (Reception – Year 6):
Wednesday 15 May 8.45am – 10am
Spaces at a Discovery Morning are limited so that you can have as much time as you need to see the School at your own pace and discuss your child as an individual.
On this page
We offer help and support at all levels of music-making, as we believe that music is an essential part of everyone’s life.
The Music Department works hard to give every child access to music through a varied curriculum, regular singing in assembly, chapel and House competitions and the huge co-curricular programme.
All our academic musicians sing or play professionally outside school and bring that expertise into the department’s curriculum and co-curricular activity.
In addition, there are 25 part-time instrumentalist and vocal specialists, many of whom are professional performers, bringing that wealth of experience and opportunity into the Schools.
We are able to provide lessons in all the major orchestral, jazz and popular instruments, including tuned and untuned percussion, drum kit, all guitars, and even ukulele.
Hear more about Music at Stamford from Scholars, Thomas and Lily
Singing lowers blood pressure and increases endorphins; a study showed that those in later life singing in choirs extend their life expectancy. Some evidence has shown that those on a music programme for a least two years achieve half a grade higher across subjects by GCSE time. This is just the tip of the iceberg and more and more research is being completed.
In addition there are a myriad of chamber groups (currently 6 string quartets, 2 sax ensembles, Clarinet choir, 2 flute choirs), rock bands, House choirs and ensembles, which change depending on which family of instruments needs further opportunities. This flexible approach enables all students to develop those ensemble skills essential to be a good performer. Including external events, there are on average around 80 performance opportunities a year. In addition, we tour regularly.
Music will be the priority of a Music Scholar in terms of the co-curricular programme but this will not exclude them from participating in other activities.
Music Scholars will specifically benefit from:
We enjoyed a trip to see Holst's The Planets before we tackled two of the movements with Symphony Orchestra, we saw A Young person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Britten to help the younger students with identification of instruments. We have also been to the Opera to see one of the A Level set works. We are always looking to expand these trips and next year already includes orchestral, choral, opera and Jazz trips.
We currently have former students at King's College Cambridge, the Royal College of Music, the Academy of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, The Royal Northern College of Music, Durham University and Leeds College of Music. Our students also go on to study abroad. One OS is currently studying Jazz Guitar in Berlin and another is on an MA in composition in San Francisco. Of course, many students who study Music go on to read other subjects as well. In addition, we are very proud that many students who take part in the music programme at Stamford go on with their music making beyond school, through university and beyond. This is as important a test as the academic routes.
Individual instrumental tuition is provided by visiting teachers and lessons are generally given during school time on a rotating basis.
